LGBTQI refugees from east and central Africa often flee to Kenya as it’s a country that has a large UNHCR presence and, while homosexuality is still illegal and homophobia and transphobia are rife, is comparatively safe from the extremes of state-sanctioned, state-actioned and community-based violence that occur in some neighbouring countries. Generally they will arrive in Kenya traumatised, malnourished and with no possessions other than the clothes that they are wearing. Conditions for these refugees are very poor as they are identified and targeted by other refugees and by homophobic and racist elements of the Kenyan community, and they have very limited access to any supports or resources for daily life.

RefCEA is a community-based umbrella organisation for and by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, and was established to unite the various independent LGBTQI refugee organisations in East Africa under one organisation.  Their work includes advocacy, emergency response, settlement support, development of income generating activities, health education and research. RefCEA aims to build a stable and sustainable platform to improve the capacity and reach of their member organisations and to improve the lives, safety and opportunities of all LGBTQI refugees.

Many Coloured Sky’s partnership with RefCEA supports some of their core administrative functions and costs, has developed and built an emergency response program for newly arrived refugees in Kenya, contributes to income generation projects, supports education costs of children of LGBTQI parents, and provides capacity building support to both RefCEA and their member organisations.